The Nigeria Police Force Border Patrol Unit has sustained a crackdown on economic saboteurs and cross-border criminal gangs across several states of the federation.
Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin in a statement issued Friday said leading the pack of recent achievements is the recovery of large consignments of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from smugglers attempting to ferry the product across Nigeria’s borders.
He revealed that at Gembu in Taraba State, two trucks fully loaded with PMS were abandoned by fleeing smugglers after a hot chase by Border Patrol Operatives of the Gembu border point.
Hundeyin added: “Similarly, along a bush path linking Nigeria with the Benin Republic, three motorcycles laden with 43 jerrycans of PMS were intercepted, while at Mubi in Adamawa State, Border Patrol personnel impounded a Toyota Starlet conveying 60 jerrycans of PMS en route to Cameroon.
‘In another incident at Jibia, Katsina State, a motorcyclist attempting to smuggle PMS into the Niger Republic abandoned his contraband and escaped on sighting police patrols.
“In addition to these economic sabotage cases, the Unit has also made substantial strides in its offensive against armed criminals.
“At Ikom in Cross River State, two suspects were arrested with locally made pistols carefully concealed in their vehicle.”
Hundeyin noted that at Imeko, Ogun State, operatives recovered a pump-action rifle with 10 live cartridges, along with 20 wraps of cannabis abandoned by traffickers.
He stressed that the clampdown equally disrupted human trafficking syndicates.
Hundeyin noted: “At Illela, Sokoto State, a 48-year-old suspected trafficker and an accomplice were arrested while attempting to traffic a 25-year-old victim into the Niger Republic.
“Similarly, in Bachaka, four suspects, including two females, were intercepted en route to Libya and Italy through the Niger Republic without valid travel documents. The victims were promptly rescued and placed under protective custody.”
The force spokesperson said further operations led to the interception of stolen and smuggled vehicles.
He stressed that at Jibia, Katsina State, officers attached to Border Patrol recovered a blue Toyota Corolla suspected to have been stolen in the Niger Republic, while in Daura, another suspect was arrested with a Toyota Carina loaded with cartons of illicit drugs.
In Oyo State, Hundeyin revealed that a Nissan Micra smuggled from the Benin Republic was also recovered, while at Daura, an arrest was made of a suspect in possession of 26 suspected stolen Android phones while attempting to cross into the Niger Republic.
He stated: “In addition, operatives in Mubi, Adamawa State, investigated and apprehended a notorious trans-border burglar notorious for motorcycle theft and serial shop break-ins, further weakening the supply chain of cross-border criminality.”